The invention relates to a condensate separator.
Condensate separators for steam consumers, particularly for industrial steam ironing equipment or the like, are used to free the steam supplied for the ironing operation from entrained condensate droplets which might otherwise leave water spots on the fabric, particularly in the case of delicate fabrics. Actually employed condensate separators of the type defined above comprise a housing consisting of two substantially symmetrical shells. These shells are joined to one another to form a capsule housing with the juncture line extending perpendicular in the mounted state. Each of the shells thus comprises the front or rear wall and respective halves of the right and left sidewalls and of the upper and lower end walls. The upper and lower end walls are provided with openings for the steam inlet and outlet to extend therethrough from below and from above, respectively. Both the upper and lower end walls contain one half of the respective openings. The shells of the housing are formed as metal castings. Integrally formed with one of the shells are the boundary walls of a control box to be closed by a cover secured thereto by means of screws and having the essential components of a control circuit mounted thereon. The separator chamber within the housing consists of a straight tube having a greater cross-sectional area than the steam inlet and outlet. Secured to both ends of the separator chamber are reducing couplings for connecting the separator chamber to the steam inlet and outlet. The interior of the houses is completely filled with a heat insulation foam formed in situ.
This known condensate separator is relatively expensive due to its complicated construction and assembly. The operation of joining the several components is time-consuming and thus also expensive. It is moreover not possible to completely protect the control device against the effects of high temperatures, irrespective of the heat insulation. This can result in malfunction or failure of the control circuitry.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a condensate separator having a simplified and less expensive construction permitting it to be quickly assembled, and which offers improved security with regard to the effects of high temperatures on the control circuitry.
The construction of the condensate separator according to the invention permits a number of housings to be made in one piece together with the required mounting portions for the fastener elements, thus eliminating the necessity of forming individual housing components in a complicated die. It is also no longer required to form the control box integrally with the housing. The described construction also permits the control circuitry to be better protected from the effects of heat radiation and heat conduction. It is finally possible to directly insert the interior components into the housing in a simple manner, so that the assembly operation is considerably facilitated.
A U-shaped cross-sectional configuration of the housing has been found particularly advantageous for the intended purpose.
The housing of the separator according to the invention is advantageously made of an extruded profile. Such extruded profiles may be cut to any suitable length and are readily available at low cost.
A particularly preferred material for the housing is aluminum.
The specific provision of the mounting portions in the form of continuous ribs as set forth in claim 5 can be accomplished in a particularly simple manner and does not require any finishing operation.
A mounting portion for the sidewall portion is also of particularly simple construction.
An embodiment using identical ribs results in a still further simplified construction.
An embodiment having a cavity communicating through venting slots with the atmosphere permits an improved insulation of the control device against the effects of heat to be achieved.
This insulation is still further improved by a partition preferably made of a thermally insulating material.
Use of a sliding guide with integral ribs, which may be identical, provide for a particularly simple construction for mounting the partition in the housing.
An embodiment is disclosed which is effective with regard to protection against contact and to a further reduction of the effects of heat on the control device.
A cover as having integrally formed connection portions is advantageous for employ with a housing as described in the preceding claims and with housings of any other construction, because this cover greatly simplifies the assembly operation.
A further simplification of the assembly operation is achieved with the necessary diameter transition between the separator chamber and the steam inlet and outlet is provided within the connection portions integrally formed with the respective cover.
This diameter transition may be accomplished in a particularly simple manner, wherein the interior diameter of the socket represents the smaller cross-sectional area, and its outer diameter the greater cross-sectional area.
The cover is made of a steam-resistant plastic material offering still further advantages with regard to manufacturing cost.